“A recent report by Al-Monitor cited 'regional sources' claiming that either the Turkish Foreign Minister or the head of Turkish intelligence had extended an offer to meet with our Commander-in-Chief. We categorically confirm that this information is incorrect,” the SDF said in a statement.
US-based Al-Monitor reported on Friday that either Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan or intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin have offered to meet with Abdi.
The SDF denied receiving the offer.
“Neither the command of our forces nor any delegation representing the regions of North and East Syria in meetings with Damascus has received any such offer - whether from the Turkish side or any other party,” it said.
Abdi did reveal in an interview with Shams TV on Friday that they have established "direct" contact with Turkish authorities and said he is open to meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but he didn't mention any efforts from the Turkish side.
Ankara has considered the SDF a security threat for years. It accused the US-backed force of having ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and carried out several major military campaigns against it since 2016.
The SDF on March 10 signed an agreement with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a pact that Ankara endorsed in an apparent softening of its tone towards the force. Erdogan has urged Sharaa to speed up the integration of the SDF into Syria's army - as stipulated in the deal.
A delegation from northeast Syria (Rojava) traveled to Damascus on Saturday for meetings about implementing the March 10 agreement.
